If there was a replay button for women’s soccer it would have been pressed tonight as JU outlasted Mercer in penalty kicks to advance to the A-Sun semifinals, 2-2 (3-0).

The Dolphins (8-6-5, 5-1-4 A-Sun) downed East Tennessee State last year and did the same to the Bears (8-6-4, 5-4-1) in 2009 as freshman Lisa Hensley scored twice before sophomore Liz Fink put away the final penalty kick.

“I’m very excited with the effort and performance tonight,” said head coach Brian Copham. “We did a fantastic job of sticking with it and never giving up. Mercer is a great, well-coached team and they fought us to the very end. We’re excited to be moving on in the tournament and will look for more success when we get to Kennesaw. ”

The Bears held a majority of the possession in the opening 10 minutes, using their size to win most balls in the midfield.

The visitors would strike first in the 11th minute when Lizzy Shaughnessy served a ball from the right side into the box and found Olivia Tucker who headed a ball into the lower right corner of the net, ending goalkeeper Alexa Rooney’s goaless streak at 547 minutes. The shot was the first of the game.

The Dolphins wouldn’t let the early score affect their morale and scored in the 22nd minute under unfortunate circumstances. Freshman Rachel Vollero went up for a header and was injured on the play. On the ensuing free kick, freshman Arianne Heaton floated a ball into the middle of the box and Hensley just got her head on the ball to loop it into the back of the net.

Junior Sian Senior created another chance for JU from a corner in the 34th minute. The junior won a header in the box off of a ball from Liz Fink but her effort was saved by goalkeeper Jean Worts.

Early in the second half, the Bears won a free kick that was dangerously delivered. Kate Alderman won a header, asking Rooney to make a great diving save.

Junior Emme Graham had two great opportunities, both on balls from Fink in the following minutes. The Marietta, Ga. native found herself in on goal twice but flashed both of her shots wide.

Mercer won a corner in the 68th minute and created another opportunity on goal. Kaelyn Horton won a header and directed it to goal. Once again, an impressive Rooney came to the rescue with another diving grab.

JU took the lead in the 74th minute when sophomore midfielder Jessica Hurtado played a beautifully weighted ball to Hensley. Hensley took the ball and made her way around her defender to find herself in on goal. Hensley buried the ball into the lower left hand corner for her second score of the night.

The game would be tied again in the 86th minute when Mercer was awarded a penalty kick. Kacie Hudson stepped up to take the shot and just slid it passed the outstretched arms of Rooney who had guessed correctly.

The Dolphins would head to overtime for the third straight match and the sixth in seven games.

The first overtime period saw little action from either side as each team played defensive soccer.

In the second overtime, Hurtado found herself streaking in on goal from the right side and fired a shot that just missed the goal.

The game would go to penalties and it would be Rooney to come up big again for the Dolphins. The sophomore saved all three penalties she faced from Patricia-Anne Upson, Sara Elliot and Ali Meek.

The Dolphins would score on all three of their attempts.

Taking the shots for the Dolphins were Devon Dowell, Alex Schulte and Fink.

The Dolphins will now face Kennesaw St. on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. in Kennesaw, Ga. for the A-Sun Semifinals.